Positioning apparatus for sealing lamps



March 3, 1964 B. CHAUVIN ETAL POSITIONING APPARATUS FOR SEALING LAMPS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 27, 1960 FIG. I

fiTART OF $EAL\NG IN MOLD END OF SEALING-IN TRANs E'i TO UHAUST MOUNTLOADING BULB LOADUQG MONOGRAMMH'QG FIG. 3.

INVENTORS I )M Mr 5 H55? 0 WW F p p f N 2 02 A V. B

ll/I/ March 1964 B. CHAUVIN ETAL 3,122,825

POSITIONING APPARATUS FOR SEALING LAMPS Filed Sept. 27, 1960 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.6.

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A A A y men/we P. M67578.

United States Patent 6 PGSITIGNEJG APPARATUS FOR SEALING. LAMPS Bernardfilmy/in, Qedar Grove, and John A. Daubert and Arthur P. Meier,Bloomfield, NJ assignors. to

Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh,

Pin, a corporation oi Pennsylvania File-d Sept. 27, 1960, Ser. No.58,715 3 Claims. (61. 29-203) The present invention'relates to thesealing of lamps, and more particularly, to an improved apparatus forpositioning a photoflash lamp bulb and mount with respect to each otherfor sealing.

l-leretofore,- conventional sealing apparatus for incandescent lamps (ofthe type shown in US. Patent No. 1,461,155 issued July 10, 1923, to H.D. Madden et al.) has been employed for seal ng photoflash lamps.

- The generally tubular envelope for present photoflash lamps has acylindrical neck portion connected to the tubular body portion by aconnecting or inwardly tapering portion. The bulb holder for suchconventional sealing apparatus has a lower inverted frustoconical seatfor centering the bulb in the bulb holder (by means of the taperingportion) and for positioning the bottom edge of the bulb neck withrespect to a reference plane (namely the bottom of the bulb holder). Theamount carried by the mount pin is then elevated into the fixed bulb apredetermined distance for the purpose of positioning the flare of themount with respect to the bottom edge of the bulb neck for sealing.

The bottom edge of each bulb neck is precut (prior to sealing) apredetermined distance from the top of the bulb dome. Due to variationsin the slope of the tapering portion and in the length of the bulb neck(as measured from the junction between such tapering portion and theneck portion to the bottom edge of the neck portion), the disposition ofthe bottom edge of the neck portion from the reference plane varies frombulb to bulb. As a result when the mount reaches the end of itspredetermined travel the flare is often undesirably disposed within thebulb neck more than about 1 mm. from the bottom edge of the neckportion. Over insertion of the fiare in the bulb neck prevents the flarefrom reaching the sealing temperature with the resultant formation of adefective heavy seal. If however the flare is disposed outside thebottom edge of the. bulb neck no seal results.

A further difficulty. is encountered in maintaining the centerline ofthe bulb holder (which is mounted on a long rod above me mount pin)coincident with the centerline of the mount pin. Wear in the movingparts of the sealing head in addition to the angular magnification ofvariations in the bulb holder centerline cause misalignment of the bulbholder centerline with respect to the mount pin centerline, withresultant positioning of one edge of the flare against the misalignedbulb neck and the undesirable spacing of the opposite edge of such flareaway from such bulb neck thereby causing the attendant formation of anopen seal.

Since the taper of the inverted frustoconical seat of the conventionalbulb holder closely approximates the taper of the tapering portion. ofthe bulb, heating of the bulb dur ng sealing causes the latter to'expandand become wedged. in the bulb holder seat with the result that theconventional suction type transfer device (which engages the dome of thesealed lamp) isunable to remove the sealed lamp from the bulb holder.

It is the general'object of the present invention to avoid and overcomethe foregoing and other difficulties of. and objections to prior artpractices by the provision of an improved apparatus for positioning alamp bulb and mount for sealing, which apparatus eliminates the dimen-3,122,825 Fatented Mar. 3, 1954 2 sional variables (in the bulb andmount) from the sealing operation.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improvedpositioning apparatus which automatically compensates for misalignmentof the bulb and mount and juxtaposes said bulb and mount in the desiredsealing posi- "ice , tion preparatory for the sealing operation.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of animproved positioning apparatus which eliminates heavy seals, no sealsand open seals.

Yet another. object of the present invention is the pro- I vision of animproved positioning apparatus which pretion, mount supporting meansmovable toward a neck portion of the bulb to insert a mount in the neckportion, and engaging means carried by the. mount supporting means forengaging the neck portion and for then moving the bulb with the mountthus fixing the distance which the mount is inserted into the neckportion. The. engagingmeans is then operable to move the taperingportion away from the seating means to permit the engaging means to.align a vertical axis of the bulb with a vertical axis of the mount, themount supporting means being thereafter operable to retract the mountand position the latter with respect to the neck portion for sealing.

The improved apparatus performs thesteps of supporting the bulb by meansof its body portion and its connectingportion, insertingthe mount intothe neck portion of the bulb a predetermined distance, thereafter movingboth the mount and the bulb while supporting the bulb by its bodyportion to leave the connecting, portion unsupported, aligning avertical axis of the bulb with a vertical axis. or" the mountby movementof the unsupported connecting portion, and retracting the mount toposition the latter withrespect. to the neck portion for sealing.

For a. better. understanding of the present invention reference shouldbe had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of referenceindicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan .view of a sealing machine incorporatingthe improved positioning apparatus of the present invention, whichapparatus is capable of practicing the improved positioning method. ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side-elevational view of the improvedpositioning apparatus at station 2, the mount loading station, andshowing the mount loading operation;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of, the positioning apparatus shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical-sectional, view taken along the line IV.IY of FIG.3 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of the improved positioning apparatusand bulb and mount carried therefor the sealing operation;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIGS. 6 and 7 taken at station 16, thesealed lamp transfer station, and showing the hollow spindle of thesealing head lowered and disengaged from the sealed (lamp and the sealedlamp about to be transferred to the exhaust machine (not shown).

Although the improved positioning method and apparatus of the presentinvention are broadly applicable to the sealing of all lamps having abulb provided with a cylindrical neck portion and a connecting portion,the positioning method and apparatus of the present invention areparticularly adapted for use in conjunction with the sealing ofphotoflash lamps and hence they have been so illustrated and will be sodescribed.

With specific reference to the form of the present invention illustratedin the drawings, and referring particularly to FIG. 1, a sealing machineis indicated generally by the reference numeral 20.

The sealing machine 29 has a turret 22 (FIG. 1) rotatably mounted on acenter post 24 and provided with sixteen sealing heads 26 (FIGS. 2, 3and each of which comprises the improved positioning apparatus of thepresent invention. These sixteen sealing heads 26 are index- ;ablethrough a like number of work stations by a conventional indexingmechanism (not shown, but of the type disclosed in US. Patent No.2,439,884, issued April 20, 1948, to I. M. Campbell).

At station 2 (FIG. 1), the mount loading station, a tubulation 27 of amount 28 (FIG. 2) is inserted into a hollow spindle 30 of the sealinghead 26 and a flare 32 of such mount 28 is positioned on a mount pin 34by moving such mount 28 from the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 2 tothe solid-line position shown in such figure, preparatory for the bulbloading operation at station 3 (FIG. 1). The mount pin 34 and hollowspindle 39 (FIGS. 2, 4 and 68) form the mount supporting means.

In order to provide bulb supporting and aligning means for the sealinghead 26, a bulb holder 36 (FIGS. 2-8) is mounted on a relatively longmount rod 38 and is provided with a bulb receiving cavity 40. Thevertical axis of such bulb receiving cavity 40 should desirably coincidewith the vertical axis of the mount pin 34 and hollow spindle 3G. Theupper portion of the bulb receiving cavity 40 is cylindrical and oflarger diameter than a corresponding cylindrical body portion 42 of afoil filled bulb 44 which is to be loaded into the bulb receiving cavity40. As shown in FIGS. 4-8, this bulb 44 has a cylindrical neck portion46 precut a predetermined distance D (FIG. 4) from a dome 48 of the bulb44, which neck portion 46 is connected to the body portion 42 by aconnection portion, such as an inwardly con verging frustoconicaltapering portion 50.

So that the vertical axis of the bulb 44 will be centered on thevertical axis of the bulb receiving cavity 40, a pair of fixed butadjustable positioning fingers 52 (FIG. 3, spaced 120 apart) projectinto the bulb receiving cavity 40 from the bulb holder 36 and a movablepositioning finger 54 is mounted on a lever 56 (FIGS. 2, 4-8) pivoted at58 in a suitable slot in the bulb holder 36. The fingers 52 and 54(FIGS. 2-8) constitute the centering means. The means utilized to biasthe lever 56 and movable positioning finger 54 carried thereby into thebulb receiving cavity 40 comprises a spring 61 (FIGS. 2, 4-5) As shownparticularly in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lever 56 is limitedly oscillatablebetween the dotted-line and solidline positions shown in such figures bya pin 62 which projects from the bulb holder 36 through a clearance hole64 in the lever 56.

In order to permit unloading of the bulb receiving cavity 40 at station16 (FIG. 1) and the loading of a foil filled bulb 44 into such bulbreceiving cavity 40 at station 3, an arcuate stationary cam 66 extendsfrom station 16 to station 3 and is mounted on a frame 67 (FIGS. 2 and4) of the sealing machine 20 so as to be engaged by the lever 56 duringindex of the sealing head 4 26 through such stations 16-3. The cam 66moves the lever 56 from the dotted-line position shown in FIG. 4 to thesolid-line position shown in such figure with resultant retraction ofthe movable positioning finger 54 from the bulb receiving cavity 4%.

At station 3, the bulb loading station, a bulb 44 is moved (from thedotted-line position, FIG. 4) down- Wardly into the bulb receivingcavity 40' until the tapering portion '56 is engaged by a seating means,such asa segmented frustoconical seat 68 provided in the bulb holder 36.It will be noted from FIG. 4 that the taper on the seat 68 is less thanthe minimum taper on the tapering portion 50 of the bulb 44' so that thecontact therebetween is limited to substantially line contact thusresultantly eliminating wedging of the bulb 44 in the bulb holder 36.

During index of the sealing head 26 to station 4, the monogrammingstation, the lever 56 rides off the cam 66 (moving from the dotted-lineposition, FIG. 5, to the solid-line position) thus permitting the springto move the movable positioning finger 54 into engagement with the bulb44 and resultantly aligning the vertical axis of the bulb 44 with thevertical axis of the bulb receiving cavity 40 (FIG. 5).

The spring 64! has, of course, sufiicient force to position the bodyportion 42 of the bulb 44 against the fixed positioning fingers 52 andto support the weight of the bulb 44 but such spring 60 is sufiicientlyresilient to permit the bulb 44 to be moved upwardly while the movablepositioning finger 54 is still in contact with the body portion 42 ofthe bulb 44.

Thereafter at station "4, a monogramming device 70 (FIG. 5) provides thedome 48 of the bulb 44 with a suitable indicia. Subsequently, the hollowspindle 30 (and the mount pin 34 and mount 28 carried thereby) are movedupwardly from the dotted-line position (FIG. 5) a distance a to thesolid-line position. (FIG. 5) by a conventional reciprocating mechanism(not shown, but of the type disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. PatentNo. 1,461,155). During this upward movement the mount 28 is insertedinto the neck portion 46 of the bulb 44. When an engaging means, such asan annular shoulder 72 on the hollow spindle 30, reaches elevation A-Ain its upward travel (a distance d FIGS. 5

. and 6, from the end), the flare 32 of the mount 28 has been insertedinto the neck portion 46 of the bulb 44 a predetermined distance D (FIG.6), and the shoulder 72 (FIGS. 4, 6-8) on the hollow spindle 30 engagesthe neck portion 46 of the bulb 44. Such shoulder 72 then lifts the bulb44 upwardly (against the action of the spring 60) away from the seat 68so that the bulb 44 is held solely by the fingers 52 and 54 and thetapering portion 50 is unsupported. If the vertical axis of the bulb 44dom not coincide with the vertical axis of the mount pin 34, theshoulder 72 then cocks the bulb 44 in the cavity 40 (during thisupwardmovement through the distance d to achieve exact coincidence ofthe vertical axis of i the 'bulb 44 with the vertical axis of the mountpin 34 and the flare 3-2 of the mount 28.

When the sealing head 26 (and the bulb 44 and mount 28 carried thereby)arrive at station 5, the first sealing station, the hollow spindle 30(and mount pin 34 and mount 28 carried thereby) are retracted downwardlya distance d;, (FIG. 7) to position the flare 32 of the mount 28 at themouth of the neck portion 46 of the' disclosed in the above-mentionedU.S. Patent No.

1,461,155) is connected to a reciprocating mount rod similar to themount rod 35 The bulb holder 35 is then moved toward themount on themount pin 34 to insert the flare 32 the di'stance D (FIG. 6) into theneck portion 46. Thereafter, either the bulb holder 35, or the mount 28and mount pin 34 are retracted to position the flare 32 at the mouth ofthe neck portion for the sealing operation;

From the abovedescription of the improved positioning apparatus of thepresent invention it will be understood that an improved positioningmethod is also provided, which method comprises the steps of supportingthe body portion 42 and the taperingportion 5t), inserting the mount 28into the neck portion 46 a predetermined distance D (FIG. 6), thereaftermoving both the mount 28 and the bulb 44 While supporting the bulb 44 byits body portion 42 to leave the tapering portion 51 unsupported,aligning a vertical axis of the bulb 44 with a vertical axis of themount 23 by movement of the unsupported tapering portion 56, andretracting the mount 28 to position the latter with respect to the neckportion 46 for sealing. This improved positioning method can bepracticed by hand or by apparatus other man the positioning apparatusherein described. I

7 It will be rcr 'sizea by those skilled in the art that the objects erthe present invention have been achieved by the provision 'o'f'an.improved positioning apparatus for sealing lamps, which apparatuspositions the flare of the mount and the neck portion of the bulb in thesame relative position for sealing regardless of the dimensionalvariables in the bulb and mount. Such improved apparatus automaticallycompensates for misalignment of the bulb and mount with respect to eachother during the positioning operation. As a result the improvedpositioning apparatus eliminates open seals, no seals and heavy seals.Additionally, such improved apparatus prevents the bulb from Wedging inthe bulb holder during the sealing operation and readily permit removalof the sealed lamp from the bulb holder at the completion of the sealingoperation.

While in accordance with the patent statutes a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention has been illustrated and described in detail, itis to be particularly understood that the invention is not limitedthereto or thereby.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for positioning the neck or a lamp bulb with respect to theseating portion of a lamp mount preparatory to mount-to-bulb sealing,said bulb having a substantially straight-sided body portion, an openneck portion, and a connecting portion joining the body portion and theneck portion thereof, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a bulb-retaining head having a vertically disposed bulbreceivingcavity provided therein;

(b) bulb-engaging means projecting into an intermediate portion of thecavity of said bulb-retaining head, and a portion of said firstbulb-engaging means movable and resiliently biased to project into thecavity of said bulb-retaining head;

(c) bulb-loading means for loading a bulb into the cavity of saidbulb-retaining head;

(d) mount-supporting means for retaining in predetermined disposition amount to be sealed to the bulb as loaded into said bulb-retaining head;

(e) reciprocating means for moving said mount-sup porting means apredetermined distance first toward and then away from saidbulb-retaining head;

(f) bulb-neck-engaging means carried on said mount supporting means forengaging and seating the neck portion of a bulb retained in saidbulb-retaining head after said mount-supporting means has been moved bysaid reciprocating means a predetermined distance 6 toward saidbulb-retaining head, and further movement of said mount-supporting meansby said recipr cating means toward said buIbEretaining means causing theretained bulb to slide upwardly with respect to said bulb-engagingmeans;

(g) said mount-supporting means thereafter moved by said reciprocatingmeans a predetermineddistance away from said bulb-retaining head toposition the sealing portion of said mount in predetermined positionwith respect to the neck portion of the retained bulb and to leave saidbulb supported by said first bulb-engaging means and in proper positionfor mountto bulb sealin g and w (h) timing means for controlling theoperation of said bulb-loading means and said reciprocating means in theforegoing work sequence.

g 2. Apparatus for positioning the neck of a lamp bulb with respect tothe sealing portion of a lamp mount preparatory to mount-to-bulbsealing, said bulb having a substantially straight sided body portion,an open neck portion, and a connecting portion joining the body portionand the neck portion thereof, said apparatus comprising: N g I (a) abulb-retaining head having a vertically disposed bulb-receiving cavityprovided therein;

([1) first bulb-engaging means projecting into an intermediate portionof the cavity of said bulb-retaining head, and a portion of said firstbulb-engaging means movable and resiliently biased to project into thecavity of said bulb-retaining head; v

(0) second bulb-engaging means positioned proximate to the bottomportion of the cavity of said bulbretaining head and adapted to contactthe connecting portion of a bulb loaded into said bulb-retaining head;

(d) bulb-loading means for loading a bulb into the cavity of saidbulb-retaining head to cause the connecting portion of such loaded bulbto seat against said second bulb-engaging means;

(e) mount-supporting means for retaining in predetermined disposition amount to be sealed to the bulb as loaded into said bulb-retaining head;

(1) reciprocating means for moving said mount-supporting means apredetermined distance first toward and then away from saidbulb-retaining head;

(g) bulb-neck-engaging means carried on said mountsupporting means forengaging and seating the neck portion of a bulb retained in saidbulb-retaining head after said mount-supporting means has been moved bysaid reciprocating means a predetermined distance toward saidbulb-retaining head, and further movement of said mount-supporting meansby said reciprocating means toward said bulb-retaining means causing theretained bulb to slide upwardly with respect to said first bulb-engagingmeans and to move from contact With said second bulb-engaging means;

(it) said mount-supporting means thereafter moved by said reciprocatingmeans a predetermined distance away from said bulb-retaining head toposition the sealing portion of said mount in predetermined positionwith respect to the neck portion of the retained bulb and to leave saidbulb supported by said first bulb-engaging means and in proper positionfor mount-to-bulb sealing; and

(i) timing means for controlling the operation of said bulb-loadingmeans and said reciprocating means in the foregoing Work sequence.

3. Apparatus for positioning the neck of a lamp bulb with respect to thesealing portion of a lamp mount preparatory to mount-to-bulb sealing,said bulb having a substantially straight-sided body portion, an openneck portion, and a connecting portion joining the body portion and theneck portion thereof, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a bulb-retaining head having a vertically disposed bulb-receivingcavity provided therein;

(b) first bulb-engaging means projecting into an intermediate portionor" the cavity of said bulb-retaining head, a portion of said firstbulb-engaging means movable and resiliently biased to project into thecavity of said bulb-retaining head, another portion of said firstbulb-engaging means being fixed and projecting into the cavity;

(c) second bulb-engaging means positioned proximate to the bottomportion of the cavity of said bulbretaining head and adapted to contactthe connecting portion of a bulb loaded into said bulb-retaining head;

(d) actuating means for moving the movable portion of said firstbulb-engaging means from projection within the cavity of saidbulb-retaining head to permit a bulb to be freely loaded into thecavity;

(2) bulb-loading means for loading a bulb into the cavity of saidbulb-retaining head to cause the connecting portion of such loaded bulbto seat against said second bulb-engaging means, and said actuatingmeans thereafter permitting the movable portion of said firstbulb-engaging means to be resiliently biased against the bulb as loadedinto the cavity;

(7) mount-supporting means for retaining in predetermined disposition amount to be sealed to the bulb as loaded into said bulb-retaining head;

(g) reciprocating means for moving said mount-supporting means apredetermined distance first toward and then away from saidbulb-retaining head;

spect to said first bulb-engaging means and to, move from contact withsaid second bulb-engaging means; (i) said mount-supporting meansthereafter moved by said reciprocating means apredetermined distanceaway from said bulb-retaining head to position the sealing portion ofsaid mount in predetermined position with respect to the neck portion ofthe retained bulb and to leave said bulb supported by said firstbulb-engaging means and in proper position for mount-to-bulb sealing;and

' (j) timing means for controlling the operation of said actuatingmeans, said bulb-loading means and said reciprocating means in theforegoing work sequence.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,547,735 Conn July 28, 1925 2,185,704 Donovan et a1. Jan. 2, 19402,396,801 Morand Mar. 19, 1946 2,691,850 Eber et a1. Oct. 19, 19542,960,762 Sindy et al Nov. 22, 1960

1. APPARATUS FOR POSITIONING THE NECK OF A LAMP BULB WITH RESPECT TO THESEALING PORTION OF A LAMP MOUNT PREPARATORY TO MOUNT-TO-BULB SEALING,SAID BULB HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT-SIDED BODY PORTION, AN OPENNECK PORTION, AND A CONNECTING PORTION JOINING THE BODY PORTION AND THENECK PORTION THEREOF, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING: (A) A BULB-RETAININGHEAD HAVING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED BULB-RECEIVING CAVITY PROVIDEDTHEREIN; (B) BULB-ENGAGING MEANS PROJECTING INTO AN INTERMEDIATE PORTIONOF THE CAVITY OF SAID BULB-RETAINING HEAD, AND A PORTION OF SAID FIRSTBULB-ENGAGING MEANS MOVABLE AND RESILIENTLY BIASED TO PROJECT INTO THECAVITY OF SAID BULB-RETAINING HEAD; (C) BULB-LOADING MEANS FOR LOADING ABULB INTO THE CAVITY OF SAID BULB-RETAINING HEAD; (D) MOUNT-SUPPORTINGMEANS FOR RETAINING IN PREDETERMINED DISPOSITION A MOUNT TO BE SEALED TOTHE BULB AS LOADED INTO SAID BULB-RETAINING HEAD; (E) RECIPROCATINGMEANS FOR MOVING SAID MOUNT-SUPPORTING MEANS A PREDETERMINED DISTANCEFIRST TOWARD AND THEN AWAY FROM SAID BULB-RETAINING HEAD; (F)BULB-NECK-ENGAGING MEANS CARRIED ON SAID MOUNTSUPPORTING MEANS FORENGAGING AND SEATING THE NECK PORTION OF A BULB RETAINED IN SAIDBULB-RETAINING HEAD AFTER SAID MOUNT-SUPPORTING MEANS HAS BEEN MOVED BYSAID RECIPROCATING MEANS A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE TOWARD SAIDBULB-RETAINING HEAD, AND FURTHER MOVEMENT OF SAID MOUNT-SUPPORTING MEANSBY SAID RECIPROCATING MEANS TOWARD SAID BULB-RETAINING MEANS CAUSING THERETAINED BULB TO SLIDE UPWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID BULB-ENGAGINGMEANS; (G) SAID MOUNT-SUPPORTING MEANS THEREAFTER MOVED BY SAIDRECIPROCATING MEANS A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE AWAY FROM SAIDBULB-RETAINING HEAD TO POSITION THE SEALING PORTION OF SAID MOUNT INPREDETERMINED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE NECK PORTION OF THE RETAINEDBULB AND TO LEAVE SAID BULB SUPPORTED BY SAID FIRST BULB-ENGAGING MEANSAND IN PROPER POSITION FOR MOUNT-TO-BULB SEALING; AND (H) TIMING MEANSFOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF SAID BULB-LOADING MEANS AND SAIDRECIPROCATING MEANS IN THE FOREGOING WORK SEQUENCE.